Material working apparatus



Jan. 25, 1944. w. scHLuMPF 2,339,334

MATERIAL wommm APPARATUS Filed Nqv. 14, 1942 ;4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.2

55 5a .mvnvron I. SCHL UMP! A T TORNEY Jan. 25, 1944. w SCHLUMPF 2,339,884

I MATERIAL WORKING APPARATUS I N l E N TOR m scm. UMPF A TTORNE) Jan. 2 5, 1944. v w, scH 2,339,884

MATERIAL WORKING APPARATUS Fild Nov. 14, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 I E G) 95 I nwE/v TOR 28 V w. scm. UMP! A T TORNEY Patented Jan. 25, 1944 1 MATERIAL WORKING APPARATUS Walter Schlnmpf, Fanwood, N. 3., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 14, 1942, Serial No. 465,584

I 20 Claims.

This invention relates to material working apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for forming. parts and welding them together.

An object of the invention is to provide amaterial working apparatus, and more particularly a simple, eiiicient and highly practical apparatus for forming parts and welding, them together.

With this and other objects in view, the invention comprises mechanism to form like parts successively from a supply of material, welding another part thereto, and subsequently severing the parts from each other.

Other objects and advantages will be apoperating head of a punch press controlled through a one-revolution clutch operated by a treadle. It is not believed necessary to show any details of this mechanism, as such is commonly known, it being understood, however,

, that the head It with its associated mechanism parent from the following detailed description when considered inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the apparatus, portions thereof being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the product of the apparatus illustrating the results of different operations thereof;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the apparatus, portions thereof being shown in section; I

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the lower'portion of the apparatus, this view being taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the lower set of die members used in forming certain of the parts;

Fig. 6 is an exploded View of the upper set of die members which cooperate with those shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a sectional detail view of a materialfeeding unit, this view being taken along the line 1-1 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of the holding and final shearing unit, this view being taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the wire shearing mechanism, and

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 9.

Referring now to the drawings, attention is first directed to Figs. 1, 3 and 4. The apparatus includes a base I0 mounted upon a suitable support H through the aid of screws l2 and including apertures I4 to slidably receive centering posts l5 of a head IS. The head/ivis mounted upon a reciprocable member l1 mounted for movement in a support l8 and adapted to move through repeated single'cycles through the aid of a mechanism not shown. In the present instance this mechanism is similar to the may at will be moved through an operating cycle.

Referring now to the base H), a material forming unit, indicated generally at 20, includes a die holder M in which a plurality of dies 22, 23, 24, 25,26, 21 and 28 is mounted, These dies are shown in exploded or separated positions in Fig. 5, it being understood, however, that they are assembled in this order but closely positioned in the die holder 2|. A material guide 30 is mounted upon the die holder 2| and has a shelf 2i upon which material 32 (Fig. 1) may be advanced in a guided path to the dies. Prior to the time the material reaches the dies, the material is guided on three sides, one by the shelf 3!, one by a vertical wall 33 adjacent the shelf, and the third by an overhanging portion 34, completing a groove through which the material is advanced. Returning again to the dies shown in Fig. 5, the die 22, is rectangular in general contour and has its upper surface 35 disposed in or adjacent the plane of the shelf 3| for the movement of the material over this surface.- An edge 36 of this die may be called the shearing edge, for the reason that the material at this position will be partially sheared as indicated at 31 in Fig. 2. The dies 23, 24 and 25 have their particular upper form, the dies 23 and 25 being identicalwhile the die 24 has an addedpiercing element 38 mounted at the center thereof and projecting a given distance above the upper extremities of its associated dies. At this time attention is directed to the upper set of punches illustrated in Fig. 6, these punches bearing reference numerals 40, 4|, 42, 43, 44 and 45. ,The punches 4D to 45 inclusive are mounted in a punch holder 46 carried by the head IE and positioned directly abovetheir respective dies 23 to 28 inclusive. The punches 40 and 42 have concaved portions 43 and 49 respectively which conform somewhat to the upper forming portions 50 and 5| of the dies 23. and 25, to cause forming of a length of the material 32 into the form indicated at 52 (Fig. 2). cooperates with the die 22 in bringing about the partial shearing operation indicated at 31 (Fig. 2). The punch 4| has a contour 54 in its lower surface (this being the upper surface, Fig. 6) which cooperates with'the element 38 and the The punch 40 associated die portions of the die 24, to assist in the forming of the material and to partially pierce a central portion 55 upwardly in the material at this position. After the portion 52 of the material has been thus formed during one cycle of operation of the apparatus, during the next rest period of the apparatus the material may be advanced a, given distance to move the portion 52 through an aperture 51 in thejdie 26, this aperture being triangular in general co'ntour and conforming to the portion yet suiliciently large for the movement of this portion therethrough. However, the forward edges of the remaining portion of the material, these,

edges being indicated at 58 (Fig; 2), will en gage the nearest side of the die 28 to control the advancement of the material a measured distance. The die 28 may thus-readily be called a control element, as it controls the advancement of the material measured distances after each cycle of operation. The punch 43 may thus readily be called a spacing member, as it does not function as a punch but is aligned with the control member 26 to accurately space the associated punch members 42 and 44. During the next cycle of operation another length of the material 32 is given the form as indicated at 52 (Fig. 2), including the portion 55, while the first formed portion projects through'the aperture 51 and extends over the die 21 and partially over the die 28. Attention is at this time directed to the contour of the die 21, this die hawing a reduced portion 80 of the contour shown functioning with the punch 44, to cause operation upon the portion 55 formed during the pre-' vious operation to assure flattening of this portion, particularly the main central area thereof,

mechanism, which includes a gripping unit, indicated generally at H, having a member 12 'secured to the head l6 through the aid of screws I3. The member 12 has a reduced portion 14 which is straddled by a U-shaped member 18 (Fig. 7). The member 15 is supported by a pivot pin 18 which extends through the legs of the member and through an elongate aperture 11 in the portion I4. The pivot pin 16 also supports the forward end of links, 18, the other ends thereof being supported by a pivot pin 19. Other .links 80 have their forward ends pivotally downwardly between friction blocks 89 through mounted upon the pin 19 and their opposite ends .pivotally supported by a pivot pin 8!, the latter extending through an' aperture 82 in the member 12. i

Returning now to the pivot pin 19, it will be observed that this pin also extends through an aperture in the member 12,, a vertical aperture 84 being provided in the member to freely receive an actuating rod 85. The aperture for the pivot pin 19 in the member 12 is elongated, as at 86 (Fig. 3), to permit vertical movement of the pivot pin to impart movement to the central ends-of the links 18 and 80. Through this movement it will be apparent that the member 15 will be moved relative to the portion 14 to move the former into and out of gripping position relative to the latter, to grip at selected intervals a'supply of material such as wire 81.

'I'heactuating rod 85 (Figs. 3 and 4) extends an aperture 90 in the base It and into a control unit indicated generally at 9|. Referring to the friction blocks 89, it will be apparent that these blocks are mounted in a bracket 93 through the aidof screws 94 mounted .in insulating bushings, the bracket being secured to the base It as at -92 (Fig. 3), the screws 94 projecting intovapereach cycle of operation one length of the material is formed at 52 and 55. while a sim larly formed length of material receives its final forming operation through the aid of the dies 21 and 28. After leaving the diesv the completed parts remaining integral with each other adjacent other types if so desired. The mounting 63 is.

centrally apertured to receive a spring 65 which normally urges the mounting and its electrode upwardly a limited distance and whose force 'tures in the blocks to hold the blocks against vertical movement relative thereto but to permit which may be varied through the adjustment ofscrews 98 whichsupport them. Thus the function of the friction blocks is to attempt to hold 'be hereinafterdescribed.

The-control unit 9| includes a tubular casing I 98 which is threadedly connected to the base may be varied through the aid of an adjusting screw'fit, the latter being supported-by a threaded element 81 positioned to close an aperture 62.

. Attention at this time is directed to Figs. 3 and 4, which illustrate the mounting 83 as supporting a switch actuating arm 88 and movable therewith. The switch arm 88 is positioned to actuate a switch 89 when the mounting 88 reaches theend of its downward movement, this occurring during the welding operation as hereinafter described. The switch 89 causes closing and opening of an electrical welding circuit (not shown) and is mounted upon the support ll.

Attention is now directed to the wire feedin In in an aperture therein, to-receive the lower end of the actuating rod 85. The lower end of the casing 98 is closed by the aid of a screw plug '99 which is centrally apertured to movably receive a screw I09, ahead IUI of which'is terial, is normally urged upwardly through the.

aid of a spring I03, the force of which is sumcient to move the actuating rod relative to the gripping blocks 89.

The material or wire 81 is fed from a sup ply (not shown) through a guide l05'which is supported -at" its upper ends byuprights I06, the latter extending downwardly in parallel spaced aasasss uprights I06 also support sets I of straight-.

ening rolls, between which the wire 81 is drawn during its advancement. Beneath the sets of straightening rolls I08, and supported by the uprights I06, is a set of shearing blades III). For details of the shearing blades IIO, attention is directed to Figs. 9 and 10. In Fig. it will be observed that a cross member III, supported by the uprights J06, has surfaces II2 which extend at like angles and adjacent to which shearing blades H0 are pivotally mounted at similar angles. The general contours of the shearing blades 'are'arcuate, the shearing edges, however, at the lower extremities thereof indicated by the meeting line I" (Fig. 10), lying in parallel planes to perform an accurate shearing operation upon the wire. Pivotal supports I I5 for the shearing blades III! are adjacent the center of the latter,the blades being normally urgedin directions to move the shearing edges away from each other through the aid of a common spring 1, the ends of which are connected, as at H0, to each of the shearing blades adjacent the upper ends thereof. The means to actuate the shearing blades in the opposite directions to bring about the shearing operation of the wire, includes adjustable screws H9 carried by the upper ends of the shearing blades and adapted to engage cam-like surfaces I of the member I5 when the. gripping unit 1! an elongate aperturel43 of the member.

, Attention is now directed to the forward ends of the holding member and shearing element. These ends are similar in contour, they being concaved at I44 and I45 respectively, the former, however, serving to rest upon the second article and hold it in place upon the member I32 while, the curved edge of the shearing element, in cooperating with the forward edge of the member I32, engages the adjacent portion of the first ar ticle and completes the shearing of this article from the second article. This actuation is I42 carried by the element and eirtending into brought about through the aid of a plunger I48 reaches its upper or starting position. It will be apparent, by viewing Fig. 9,'that the member I5 has reduced sides I2I providing a v-I- shaped lower portion to enable free actuation of the the shearing blades I I0. Furthermo e. member I5 is so constructedtthat it will move freely between the shearing blades and will cause actuation thereof as it reaches the upper posi-. tion.

Attention is now directed'to unit I25. the purposeof which'is to complete the shearing of the formed articles and to hold the'next adjacent article against displacement durin the final shearing operation. Referring to Figs. 4 and 8. this unit includes a support I30 having a dovetail connection with a mounting member I3I. the latter being mountedmpon the baseIIl. The support I30 includes a member I32 having a contoursimilar to the completed article and positioned to receive the foremost articles during their inter-' mittent advancement. .The member I32 is positioned' so that its forward end (the extremeleft end, Fig. 4) will lie at the juncture" of the articles at the completion of their advancement. The member I32 as well as its supporting member I30 may be adjusted through the aid of an adjusting screw I34, to bring about the desired adjustment oi this member with respect to the die 20 and punch holder 46. The member I30 is slotted, as at I30, to receive a holding member I3! and a shearing element I38. Both the element and member are mounted upon a common pivot I39 and are normally urged for rotation in opposite directions through the aid of a connecting spring I40, this spring being mounted, as shown in Fig. 8, at the ends of the projecting arms of the member and element. Another spring I4I normally urges the shearing element I38 counterclockwise or into its normal position. Another connection is provided between the holding memher and the shearing element, this including a pin mountedin the head I6 as shown in Fig. .1 and movable therewith. Thus during each cycle of operation, the apparatus at ,the intervals when the articles 52 and the materials 32 forming the articles are at rest, the plunger I46 engages first the shearing element I30 and moves it downward,- ly or clockwise about its pivot I39, Through the force of the spring I40, this clockwise movement of the shearing element I38 will move the hold ing member I31 clockwise into its holding position. Therefore, the holding member is brought into position priorto the shearing operation, the spring I4I returning the holding member and shearing element to their starting position during the upward movement of the plunger I46.

Considering now the operation of the apparatus, let it be understood that the head I6 and its associated structures are reciprocated intermittently and during this reciprocal movement the material 32 is advanced at the open intervals of the apparatus. Furthermore, the reciprocal movement causes actuation of the unit I I, to first grip the wire 8?, this being brought about through the function of the friction blocks to holding the actuating rod 85 against movement momentarily until the links I8 and 00 are moved to their extreme distances to cause the member '75 to be drawn inwardly to function with the portion E4 in gripping the wire. Thus at the beginning of the-downward movement of the head I6 and the unit II. the wire 81 is first gripped, then moved downwardly its extreme distance. a small length of the wire as will be observed by viewing Fig. 3,

extending beneath the unit H to engage the porits associated unit I i, the spring I03 is compressed through the engagement of the actuating rod 05 with the pressure pad I02 and the force'of'the spring adds to the function of the friction blocks to increase the gripping engagement of the unit II with the wire 81. Another function of the spring I03 is to cause upward movement'of the actuating rod a given distance measured by the distance of the head IOI from the nut 99, this distance bein-g sufficient to move the welded articles including the article 52 and the wire welded thereto upwardly, to allow the electrode unit or mounting 03 to return to its normal position.

Thus the welded parts or articles are held in engagement with the electrode and moved therewith while the wire is being gripped by the unit II until the opening of the welding circuit is assured. The return of the unit or mounting 63 to its uppermost position effects opening of the switch 69. The moment the spring I03 ceases to function in moving the actuating rod 85, the friction blocks 89 effect stopping movement of the actuating rod and through this action the links 18 and 80 are moved to their aligned positions to move the member I5 outwardly and release the gripping connection with the wire. The unit Il may then move upwardly free of the wire, the I wire being held against upward movement by the sets of straightening rolls I08. During the continued upward movement of the unit H with the head I 6, the member 15 passes between the shearing elements H which are normally held outwardly by the spring lll. However, at the completion of the upward movement of the unit H. the cam portions I10 are put into eflect through their association with the screws 9 to move the shearing blades into the shearing position shown in Figs. 9 and 10, to shear the welded portionpf .the wire at this point. The welded portion of the wire and its article 52 form a complete structure which remains connected through the integral portions to next adjacent article 52 to the right (Fig. 2) and the previously completed structures at the left until 'it receives the final shearing operations at the unit I 25.

It being understood that during each cycle of operation of the-apparatus the articles 52 are formed at. the die and punch units 20 and 46 and are partially sheared at these units, the measurement of the articles is also controlled at these units through the aid of the member (Fi articles formed by these units accurately locates the portions 55 at the. electrode 64, so that during the operation of the apparatus the'material or wire 81 will have its forward end welded to thefiflat surface of the portion 55 of this article. after which a. given length of the materialwill be severed and the welded parts allowed to continue to the unit I25, where they will be separated one from the other. Although specific improvements of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that they are but illustrative and that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention as defined by the appended claims. I

. What is claimed is:-

1. A material working machine comprising a forming unit adapted to successively form articles from material, means adapted -for the successive advancement of the material to the unit, means to feed parts to the articles, and means to cause welding of the parts to their respective articles. i

2. A material working machine comprising a forming unit-adapted to successively form articles from a supplyof material and partially shear the articles therefrom, means adapted for thesuccessive advancement of the material to the unit, means to feed parts to the articles,

means to cause welding or the parts to their respective articles, and means to complete the shearing of the articles.

3. A material'working machine comprising an electrode, means for the feeding of an article The intermittent advancement of the unit away from the electrode, and means to cause the unit to retain gripping connection with the material until the article is moved free of the electrode. I

4. A material working machine comprising an electrode, means for the feeding; of an article to the electrode, a material feeding unit actuable to grip a material short of the leading end thereof, means to move the unit to position the 10 end of the material in engagement with the article, means including the electrode to cause welding of the article and the material, and means actuable by the gripping unit to sever a given length from the material at the welded end thereof.

5. A material working machine comprising a movable electrode, means for the feeding of an article to the electrode, a material feeding unit actuable to grip a supply of material short of the leading end thereof, means to move the unit to position the 'end of the material in engagement with the article and move the electrode with the article, and means actuable by the movement of the electrode to cause welding of the said end of the material to the article.

- 6. A material working machine comprising a movable electrode, means for the feeding of an article to the electrode, a material feeding unit actuable to gripa supply of material short of the leading end thereof, means to move the unit to position the end of the material in engagement with the article and move the electrode with the article, means actuable by the *movement of the electrode to cause welding of the said end of the material to the article, the said unit moving means being adapted to move the unit away from the electrode, and means to cause the unit to retain gripping connection with the mate- .rial until the electrode has returned to its original, position and the article is moved free articles therefrom means adapted for the successive advancement of the material to theunit J and the connected articles to a-welding position, means to feed parts to their respective'articles at. the welding position, and means to cause welding of the respective parts and articles. at the said position.

8. A material working machine comprising a unit actuable to successively form articles from a supply of material and partially shear the arti-' cles therefrom, means adaptedfor the successive advancement of the material to the unit and the connected articles to a welding position, means to feed parts to their respective articles at the welding position, means to cause welding of the respective parts and articles at the said position, and means to complete the sever-- ing of the articles after the welding of their parts thereto.

9. A material working machine comprising a unit actuable to successively form articles from a supply of material and partially shear the articles therefrom, means adapted for the successive advancement of the material to the unit and the. connected articles to a welding position,

means to feed parts to their respective articles at the welding position, means to cause welding of the respective parts and articlesat the said position, means to complete the severing of the articles after the welding of their parts thereto, and

meansto grippingly support the adjacent subcent article.

sequent articles during the final severing of each article.

10. A material working machine comprising means adapted for intermittent advancement of a supply of material, means actuable to partially shear portions from the material and form articles retained integral with each other and the said supply intermediate the advancements or the latter, means to feed parts to their respective articles, and means to cause welding of the respective parts and articles.

11. A material working machine comprising I means adapted for intermittent advancement of a supply oi material, means actuable to partially shear portions from the material and form articles retained integral with each other and the said supply intermediate the advancements or the latter, means to 'feed parts to their respective articles, means to cause welding of the respective parts and articles, and means to complete the severing of the leading article from its adja- 12. A material working machine comprising means adapted for intermittent advancement of a supply of material, means actuable to partially shear portions from the material and form articles retained integral with each other and the said supply intermediate the advancements of the latter, means to feed parts to their respective articlesmeans to cause welding of the respective parts and articles, a holding element, a shearing element, and means to actuate the elements to cause them to respectively hold the next to the leading article and sever the leading article.

13. A material working machine comprising means adapted for intermittent advancement of a supply or material, means actuable to partially shear portions from the material and form articles retained integral with each other and the said supply intermediate the advancements of the latter, means to feed parts to their respective articles, means to cause welding of the respective parts and articles, a support for the next to the leading article, and means cooperating. with the support to complete the severing of the leading article from the supported article.

14. A material working machine comprising means adapted for intermittent advancement of a supply of material, means actuable to partially shear portions from the material and form articles retained integral with each other and the said supply intermediate the advancements of the latter, means to feed parts to their respective articles, means to cause welding of the respective parts and articles, a support for the next to the leading article, a holding element, a shearing element, and means to actuate the elements relative to the support to cause them to respectively hold the next to the leading article on the support andto complete the severing of the leading article from the held article.

151A material working machine comprising means adapted for intermittent advancement oi! a supply of material, means actuable to partially shear por ons from the material and form articles retained integral with each other and the means to cause welding or the respective parts and articles.

16. A material working machine comprising means adapted for intermittent advancement of a supply of material, means to bend a given length of the material into a substantially V- shaped article and simultaneously shear the leg portions of the article from the material inter mediate the advancements of the latter, means to feed parts to their respective articles, and means to cause welding of the respective parts and articles.

17. A material working machine comprising means adapted for intermittent advancement of a supply of material, means to bend a given length of the material into a substantially V- shaped article and simultaneously shear the leg portions or the article from the material intermediate the advancements of the latter, means to flatten a surface or the central portion of each article, means to feed parts to the flattened surfaces of their respective articles, and means to cause welding of the respective parts and articles.

18. A material working machine comprising an electrode, means for feeding an article to the electrode, a material feeding unit actuable to grip a material short of the leading end thereof, means to move the unit between a normal position and a welding position to position the end of the material in engagement with the article, means including the electrode to cause welding of the article and the material, and cutting elements actuable by the unit when the unit is moved into its normal position to sever a given length of the material from the welded end.

19. A material working machine comprising an electrode, means for feeding an article to the electrode, a material feeding unit actuable to grip a. material short of the leading end thereof, means to move th unit between a normal posi tion and a welding position to position the end of the material in engagement; with the article, means to actuate the unit to cause it to grip the material during movement toward the welding position and to free thematerial during its movement toward the normal position, means including the electrode to cause welding of the article and the material, and cutting elements actuable by the unit when th unit is moved into its normal position to sever a given length of the material from the welded end.

, 20. A material working machine comprising an electrode, means for feeding an article to the electrode, a material feeding unit actuable to grip a material short of the leading end thereof, means to move the unit between a normal position and a welding position to position the end oi the material inengagement with the article,

means to actuate the unit to cause it to grip the material during movement toward the welding position and to free the material during its movetripping unit in gripping relation with the. ma-

terial during a portion of its movement toward the normal position to cause the welded material to move the article free of the electrode. 

